A song with your supper? Entertainment on the menu at these restaurants

Saturday

Jun 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMJun 28, 2008 at 12:21 AM

It's a specialty that sometimes seems to be fading from the region's menu -- a meal with a side of music.

David Riley

It's a specialty that sometimes seems to be fading from the region's menu -- a meal with a side of music.

Pippa Jollie, co-owner of Harvest Cafe in Hudson, remembers when she could zip over to Sudbury and hear live world-class jazz at a now-closed restaurant called Ephraim's.

"It just seems like in the last five, 10 years, that's kind of disappeared," Jollie says.

With the recent closing of the Rat Pack Cafe -- a Framingham mainstay with a piano bar -- it's understandable to feel that way. But look closely and you'll find MetroWest and the Milford area still have plenty to offer hungry music lovers.

In no particular order, here are 10 options:

Harvest Cafe, Hudson

Every evening Wednesday through Saturday, Jollie and co-owner Karen Freker devote the little stage at their 40 Washington St. cafe to local artists, and they're booking more and more.

"We need more places where local music and local art happenings can thrive," Jollie says. Along with a range of coffees and teas, Jollie says the restaurant offers "eclectic comfort food," including sandwiches, dips and dinners from stuffed pork chops to squash ravioli. Wednesday is open mic night. The rest of the music ranges from folk to jazz to classic rock, Jollie says. There's no cover charge -- owners just pass a hat to cover the musicians' gas money. For more information, visit www.harvestcafeonline.com.

The Skellig, Waltham

This pub and restaurant at 240 Moody St. offers 20 beers on draught, traditional Irish and American meals and tunes aplenty. "Five out of seven nights we have some kind of jam session in here usually traditional American music or traditional Irish," says bartender Maria Jecmenica. On those nights, musicians are welcome to gather in the main bar to plunk and fiddle away. From Thursday to Saturday, a back room opens up for bands, who often play rock covers. The menu ranges from salads to a burger to Guinness beef stew and bangers 'n' mash. The restaurant is owned by Tommy and Louise McCarthy, who are traditional Irish musicians, says the pub's Web site, www.theskellig.com.

Fat Boy Bill's Bar & Grill, Milford

Music memorabilia and the faces of blues legends adorn the walls of this 31 Central St. establishment. Local bands like the Barnstormers and Hoodoo Relevator are lined up to perform on Fridays and Saturdays this month, offering blues, rock and tribute covers. Cover charges are usually $5, says the bar's Web site. Open jam sessions with the Brian Thomas Trio on Wednesdays draw local jazz and blues musicians, who recently said they hope to build a stronger music scene in the Milford area. Sandwiches and burgers dominate the grill menu, including a "blues burger" with hot peppers. There are ribs, too. Visit the bar's Web site, www.fatboybills.com.

RedPepper, Framingham

Come for the spicy stir-fried chicken with green chili peppers, stay for the live jazz series. Owner Jennifer Wang opened this restaurant at 17 Edgell Road last September to offer authentic Sichuan cooking in MetroWest, with chef Rongfu Shao manning the kitchen; on Sunday nights, it now brings the area authentic jazz from local groups like the Steve Heck and Dave Whitney trios. Performances generally are from 5 to 8 p.m. with a cover charge of $3 per person or $5 for couples. A full menu is available on the restaurant's Web site, www.redpepperroute9.com.

Stone's Public House, Ashland

This restored (and reputedly haunted) 1832 inn-turned-restaurant at 179 Main St. offers an eclectic music lineup on top of pub fare. Under the massive wooden beams in the main restaurant, local blues legend Pete Henderson leads a jam every Sunday night at 8 p.m., and the bar hosts "seisuins" for traditional Irish music every Tuesday. Other blues, r&b, rock and jazz bands from the area pop up most Fridays and about every other Wednesday. Meals range from shepherd's pie, fish 'n' chips and classic pub fare, like beef and horseradish sandwiches to a cheddar burger and filet mignon. Visit www.stonespublichouse.com.

Pinz Entertainment, Milford

If customers here don't end up liking a band, they certainly can't complain there isn't anything else to do. Pinz offers 20 lanes of bowling and 40 arcade games on top of grub, tunes and billiards at its Blue Dog Sports Bar and Grill. The 110 South Main St. establishment has live bands every Friday and Saturday. Later this month they have classic rock cover band Big Dog, Franklin's acoustic cover band Motorboat and Medway trio ChillSet, among other acts, says its Web site, www.pinzbowl.com. The menu includes steak and ribs, seafood, pizzas and burgers galore, including one called "The Monsta." The bar also has 10 beers on draught.

Bullfinchs Restaurant, Sudbury

Jazz meets an extensive menu and a long drink list at this family-owned restaurant at 730 Boston Post Road. There's a Sunday jazz brunch, usually held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with acoustic blues on Sunday nights at 6 p.m. with Dan & Nat Bongiorno, says the restaurant's Web site. The menu includes sesame seed-crusted tuna, beef Wellington, filet mignon and a full set of vegetarian options for the non-carnivorous music lover. There also is a selection of beers, wines, martinis and more. For more information, visit www.bullfinchs.com.

Firefly's, Framingham, Marlborough and Quincy

Barbecue meets blues, rock, reggae and other genres at this restaurant, which has locations at 235 Old Connecticut Path in Framingham and 350 East Main St. in Marlborough. In the latter establishment, the in-restaurant venue, Dante's, offers live bands every Friday and Saturday night, for anywhere from $6 for local favorites to $16 when blues harmonica pro James Montgomery stops by. "A lot are local, but there have been some big ones too," said Elizabeth Price, director of administration. At the Framingham location, check out Bruce Marshall's acoustic jam on Wednesday nights. Food is "traditional Southern fare," Price said. Visit www.fireflysbbq.com.